Kimbo Slices Up the Ratings for “The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights”

Wednesday night’s highly anticipated season premiere of “The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights” captured 4.1 million viewers, the largest draw in the reality show’s ten-season history. Obviously, the addition of street fighting phenomenon Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson to the show’s cast helped ratings just a tad.

“The intriguing cast of ‘The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights’ has true mass appeal, and the numbers show that this sport is not just for a niche audience anymore,” said Kevin Kay, Spike TV president.

Prior to the show’s kick-off, “UFC Fight Night 19” was going off live inside the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The night of sensational fights played as a great lead-in for the much talked about show.